Kafra Chronicles
by TensaiMan
Summary: The Kafra Corporation is hiding a dark secret. The revelation changes the life of Amelia forever.
1. Act I, Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online.

Kafra Chronicles by TensaiMan

Act I - Awakening

Chapter 1 - Memories

They say that ignorance is bliss. It could not be more true, right now.

As I stared into the huge dark room, I staggered back, clutching my stomach. I felt sick. Really sick. So this is the truth? This is what I am? This couldn't be real. No...I...

My vision began to fade as I crumpled and collapsed, kneeling on the cold stone floor, memories of the past month washing over me like a calming rain.

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"How may I help you?"

I gave the bronze-haired hunter a smile. I loved my job. I am a Kafra. In a few seconds, I had cheerily warped the now-impatient man to Geffen, and stopped to brush some imaginary dirt off my white apron. Have to keep up my appearance, you know.

Oh, let me introduce myself. I am Amelia Cilfhod Tidsyne. That's my full name, anyway. It's really Amelia C. Tidsyne. That's tide-sayn. Don't say it wrong. People often misspell or mispronunce it, or even both, and it gets on my nerves. Kind of. You can never tell. Just call me Amelia, okay?

Soooo. What was I doing again? Right. I was disowned by my real parents nineteen years past, when I was just born. My adopted father found me near a river in Prontera, bawling out loud within the thick grass. Aside from the glaringly obvious fact that I was left at that place, there was a letter attached to my neck, from my real mother. It told the tale of why I was there the first place.

My growing up years were pretty boring. As time passed, it became more and more apparent that I was not their real child. I knew this from the start; at the moment I could walk and talk and comprehend, they told be all about it. I didn't care. All I knew is my papa and mama loved me, and that was what mattered.

Like normal children, I played, skipped and...what? Why was it apparent? Sorry, I forgot. My hair and eyes were different from my parents. My papa and mama both had brown hair, while mine was light blue. Closer to white, actually, since my hair only has a small touch of color. I often wore it in twin ponytails behind my back. I wish mine was jet black. It looked sexy. I have this friend who has that kind of hair, and she's very pretty. I want...huh? Eyes? Oh yeah. Oops again. Sorry. I have these dull yellow eyes, sparkling but dull, mama always kidded. My olive skin and soft facial features also set me apart from them. And my rounded lips were forever curved into a permanent grin. My papa's are always flat. He seems cold, but he's really loving and caring.

I admired the Kafra girls I often saw when my mama would take me on shopping trips downtown. In the middle of all the merchant's stalls, between the men negotiating over a rare item, near the novices asking everybody on the street for some zeny, was her.

People called her Miss Jane. I'm not sure that's her real name, though. Just a gut feeling. She is always there, as constant as the sky, the street and the noise. I dunno how she can manage to stand there literally twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, just stopping long enough to eat something. She was also pretty. Her long silken red hair, her cherry-red lips, her alluring blue eyes and her oval face were, to me, a paragon of beauty. I looked up to her. No matter how much she was yelled at, verbally and near-physically abused, mocked and laughed at, she always smiled. Her smile could light up a dark room, filling it with happiness. And her laugh. That laugh. It easily filled the air, a glaring beacon despite all the noise around it. It was also as infectious as a disease. Even those grumpy knights would smile whenever they hear it.

Once, I had a chance to ask her how could she keep smiling. How could she face all that abuse and not flinch. She smiled once more and gave me a simple answer.

"A smile always gives hope."

That was food for thought.

As I entered my sixteenth year, I had decided that I wanted to be just like Miss Jane. Normally, a father would be appaled that her daughter wanted to be a Kafra, which is considered to be simply everyone's maid. A lowly position. Not my papa. When I told him about it, he placed a large, callused hand on my shoulder and nodded. I hugged him with all my heart.

My friends were not so forgiving. They called me an idiot, a fool, an ambitionless moron. I didn't care. I took it all, with a smile. I'm sure Miss Jane would have been proud. All of them abandoned me. I just smiled. Just keep smiling.

I sent a letter to the Kafra Corporation, and I quickly received a reply. They instructed me to go to the local Kafra Office, in the southeastern part of the city. I still remember that day. I was dressed impeccably in a ginger blouse with slightly puffy sleeves, white ribbons holding my twin ponytails in place. My mama escorted me to the place, a rather modest two-storey building which looked more like a worn-down inn than an office. After a few compulsory gulps of air, I stepped in.

The interview took less than ten minutes. I can't remember what they asked at all. I was nervous as heck. All I recall is that the entire time, I was smiling brightly.

It was only a week later that I recieved the notice to report for work, as a trainee. I vaguely remember screaming my head off the entire day.

I picked up the uniform that afternoon. I held the package, sealed with brown paper and string, like a priceless artifact. My mama helped me try it on. It looked good on me, she said. All I could do was smile. Really really widely.

I was assigned to the North Gate. A rather boring spot, I suppose, but I was merely a trainee. At least no seniors were watching me. Or not. Maybe they have this magic spell which shows a vision of what I'm doing. Hahaha.

...I'm scared.

So, where was I? Right.

Everyday, I would get up at six in the morning, make breakfast, be in time to report at seven, stand there on the same spot until twelve, go home and eat, come back at one and stay there until five. Then I could go home. I never saw much of Miss Jane, my so-called friends, or...well, people anymore. The place was too empty. And it was near the castle entrance! Where do all the people enter the castle, then?

This same, boring routine went on for three more years. I've noticed that, as a Kafra, the longer you stay in the same place, the higher the chance is that people will come. Right now, I service about one person per five minutes, on average. It was less dull than when I first started, believe me.

That ends my past. Am I supposed to bow now? No? Okay. I was getting tired anyway.

I leaned against a nearby posy in the heat of the Pronteran sun. The castle lay behind me. It was high noon, and it clearly showed. A novice was even cooking a Pecopeco egg on the sidewalk. Wonder if he'd eat it.

I looked up to the sky, watching the clouds pass. It was the waiting part that was hard. When you're busy, you barely notice the heat. I took a hankerchief from my apron pocket and wiped the sweat off my brow.

I wish my life was a little more exciting than this. I like working as a Kafra, but maybe my friends were right when they said that I'm missing out on life. They, by the way, started talking to me again only a year ago. I'm a bit jealous of them. Many had become adept warriors, who would tell me their tales as I placed their items into the Kafra Storage. Which is pretty cool. I don't know how that cabinet manages to hold all that junk, or how its contents change depending on the person I'm talking to. It will forever be a mystery. It's still something that keeps me awake at night.

I shook my head, my twin ponytails flying, snapping myself out of my daze. Have to pay attention. Never know when a customer might come.

On second thought, I wished nobody would come. Not right now. I looked like a dolt, whipping my hair onto my face.

At that exact moment, a letter arrived at my house, from the Kafra Corporation. That letter, the piece of paper that started everything...everything. 


	2. Act I, Chapter 2

Kafra Chronicles by TensaiMan

Act I - Awakening

Chapter 2 - Change of Scene

"Don't worry, mama. I can take care of myself." I gave my worrying mother a hug, caressing her soft brown hair, which reached her shoulders. "Besides, the corporation has people everywhere. They can watch me."

"I'll miss you, honey..." She hugged me back tightly. "Remember what I told you..."

"Yeah, yeah, mom. Keep the door closed, always see who it is, and never run out of toothpaste. Besides, you can come visit anytime. A bit expensive, but anytime."

I picked up my dark brown backpack and put it on. The thing was given by the head Kafra. It was quite handy. Made of the same magic as the storage cabinets, it could store a whole lot of stuff in a small amount of space. And it came in different colors, too!

I like brown. I think. I never got to choose the color.

The letter? It was a notice from headquarters. I was being transferred to Alde Baran, due to a sudden shortage in personnel there. The letter didn't say much more than that. I would be briefed at the main office about my sleeping arrangements, work schedule, and stuff like that.

The head Kafra for the Pronteran branch (who is a nice old lady of about 50, but don't tell her that!) came that night and handed me the backpack, plus news of my bright-eyed replacement (who, amazingly, turned out to be that young girl I kept seeing near the castle). We asked her to stay and eat dinner, tasty fried Peco Wings, but she refused, saying something about being late. Maybe she didn't want to overeat and get fat.

Both my parents agreed that I could go. My papa's voice was still in my thoughts.

"I want you to spread your wings and be free. But when you are tired of flying, remember that you always have somewhere to return to."

I still don't know how I slept soundly that night.

Which brings us to this fateful morning.

I made my way downtown to the office where I would be warped directly at the main office's front door. It was quite early; there weren't much stalls in the usually jam-packed main street. The Kafra there was sleepily rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms.

About Miss Jane? Well...it was only later, at the head office, that I found out that she had been reassigned somewhere confidential, just when I was starting as a Kafra. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The head Kafra was waiting for me at the front door, smiling, hands clasped at her waist. The typical pose.

"I knew you'd be early, Amelia. It's only six. I said seven."

I looked down on the ground and blushed.

"And you're wearing your uniform already! Kids these days. Just can't wait."

"Uh..." I cleared my throat silently. "...you're wearing yours..."

She gave me a high-pitched roaring sound that sounded like a laugh. "Because I'm working already. You're not supposed to yet. What were you expecting, reporting for work the minute you get there?"

"Uhm, isn't that what they do?" I replied meekly, staring at my shoes.

"You don't get out much, do you?"

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly.

"Ah, never you mind. Let's just get started. Have you said your goodbyes?"

I nodded. I had said them to my friends the night before, and they all wished me luck, plus they promised to visit.

I watched the senior Kafra take out a special sky-blue gemstone, the kind that we use. Certain gems only warped to certain places, and each were properly labeled. It was a no-brainer using them. They were made of a magical material which will only disintegrate when applied pressure by a human hand. You would crush them and toss them on the ground at a person's feet, who would immediately be warped to their location.

"Good luck."

Those were the last words I heard when everything was enveloped in a bright light.

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"So this is the main office..."

I stared in wonder at the huge building. The walls were old yet clean and sparkling, the ornate carvings seemingly brand new. This place was well-maintained. There was no smell of mold or mildew, but a rather light scent of...cleanliness. There was no other way to describe the smell.

I gulped in a good amount of air and gave my backpack straps a tug. Feeling intimidated, I walked inside, to be greeted by the spacious reception room. The front desk was just to my left, and there were chairs all over, in neat rows some leaning against the grey stone wall. To my wonder, there were few people.

"It's early morning. What'd you think, this place is crowded twenty-four seven?"

I jumped in surprise, almost making my backpack dropped off my shoulders. The receptionist cackled. "All new Kafras think that."

I turned to face the grinning black-haired lady. "How did you know I was new?"

She grinned wider, showing me her teeth. "After thirty years sitting on this chair, I can tell rather well."

The shock must have been affixed on my face. She laughed again. "Yes, thirty." She leaned closer towards me. "I'm almost sixty. In two months, actually."

"But...you look so young!" I looked at her ruby red lips, her perfectly formed nose, that black hair that I always wanted, her gliterring green eyes, those nice-looking cheeks, neither too thin or chubby, and her slim neck. Plus no fine lines or any signs of aging. I felt envious.

"They say some people grow old with grace..." I whispered. "...but this is really strange."

"I know, dear. I find it hard to explain myself! You must be Amelia." She smiled. "I've been expecting you. Since you'll be seeing a lot of me, please call me Mei. It's actually Sun Mei-Ying."

I blinked. It was a first time I had met someone from Luoyang. A pretty someone, at that.

"Pleased to meet you."

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My backpack landed with a thud on top of my bed, bouncing off it once, and fell onto on the floor.

"Shoot."

What happened at the office? I was assigned to a new spot at the north part of the city, another semi-secluded area away from the crowd. Oh well. I was still a junior Kafra. Besides, I was used to the silence.

The Corporation was nice enough to give me my own place to stay, not too far from my work area. It was a modest little hole in the wall (and I mean that; the door looked like a mousehole) next to some other holes. The stone looked whitewashed and it was slightly run down, but it smelled nice. It was composed of a grand total of three sections. When you entered the door, it was the kitchen. From there, the door to the right was my bedroom, and the bathroom was opposite it.

The bedroom is a simple and very bare place, with only a bed (surprisingly comfy) and a nighttable. Kitchen had a basic stove and counter, and bathroom had a shower and toilet. Nothing fancy. Everything was in a weird whitish color, which hurt your eyes the longer you stare at it.

At that, I decided to ask permission to paint my little home first thing in the morning.

I picked up my pack and placed it underneath my bed. I was still wearing my uniform, but I went ahead and jumped on the bed, hugging the lone white pillow. After taking off the blue ribbons holding my ponytails together, I tossed myself around the bed until I was looking up at the ceiling. Which, if you haven't guessed it yet, was white.

The light of the setting sun came through the grilled window, signaling the end of the day. It shone on my face and I could almost feel the sun's dying rays. My thoughts came back to why I was late coming home in the first place. Miss Mei and I had become quite good friends, and I like to keep her company. She must be lonely sitting on that chair the whole day. Almost all of the people she talked to were cold and impersonal.

I smiled as I thought of her. Like Miss Jane before, I looked up to her for having to deal with rude, yelling people every day for the past thirty or more years. She was, for me, an icon, of what being a Kafra is all about. I never really noticed all the other Kafras. Those girls were...devoid of life. The way they talked and acted, you could say that they had nothing to do but work.

All thoughts were banished from my head as I fell into a deep sleep, overcoming my eagerness for the next day to begin. 


	3. Act I, Chapter 3

Kafra Chronicles by TensaiMan

Act I - Awakening

Chapter 3 - Excitement

"Aaaargh, this is so-"

I quickly covered my mouth just in time to stop the profanities, which were about to escape my lips, just in case you're slow. First day at work here and everything goes wrong. I couldn't help but kick the wall in frustration. Hard.

"Ouch!"

I forgot, I was barefoot.

Maybe the gods hate me or something.

You look a bit lost. Okay, sure, I'll tell you about it.

It started in the morning. No, I did not wake up late. I woke up early. Early enough to find out that I still had my now-messy uniform on.

After the compulsory one and a half minutes of panic, I grabbed my bag from under the bed, looking for my portable iron. I just hope it can still heat itself up.

After tossing out a bar of soap, a green shirt and an apple...wait, I don't remember putting that in there. Must have been mama. She always said to eat your...woah, stop. I'm getting off topic. Anyway, I got my iron, which thankfully, still worked, and proceeded to turn my bed into an ironing board. It was hard enough for the task, that's for sure.

So here I am, clad only in my underwear, ironing. I'm used to this, so it only took me...huh? What are you staring at? Oh. I get it. Fine, I'll humor you perverts just this once. It's white lace. Got it? I won't repeat myself anymore.

Where was I? Oh, yeah. It took less than five minutes to do so, without a singe nor crease on my clean uniform. I left it on the bed for later.

Right after finding my eggs and some oil in the backpack, I quickly went to the kitchen. excited to start working as soon as I can. After some searching, I found a beat-up frying pan in the cabinet under the counter. I gave it a good scrub using a cloth nearby and set it on the stove, pouring some oil into the pan. I grabbed an egg and cracked it open over the stove, letting down the soon-to-be-breakfast-item gently. Perfect.

I started to hum as I cooked the eggs. I like to cook, but I don't get to do it much. All because of work.

Hey. You guys are staring again. Wait. Oh my god. I am not cooking eggs wearing only my unmentionables! I just forgot to say that I put on a blue bathrobe after getting the eggs. Perverts.

Maybe you were expecting I burned the eggs. No. They came out just fine. The trouble started after I ate breakfast, in the shower.

You see, there was no water.

The dingy little bathroom with only a shower and toilet had no water.

I sighed in resignation as I kept twisting the knob. I gave up after a few minutes. This was bad. What to do?

I tightened the white towel around my chest and sat down on the floor, strumming my fingers on the wall in thought.

Wait...Mei! She didn't live too far away from here. Maybe she can lend me her bathroom. I had to hurry. My shift will start in an hour.

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Luckily, my new friend hadn't left home yet. She welcomed me in with a smile, then an amused grin.

"Sorry, but I prefer my girls a little older."

My eyes widened as I realized that I just ran though the back streets of Alde Baran wearing ONLY a towel, which was, by some mysterious force of nature, still on. Barely on. Streaking down a road was not the way I liked to start my day.

Oh, the thing also decided to, finally, sumbit to gravity.

"Why, aren't you a sexy little thing."

Mei started to laugh as I turned cherry red., even more so when I heard a lot of cheering behind me. I hastily picked up the piece of cloth, wrapping itself around my body again.

"Well, dear, from the looks of it..." she eyed the backpack that I was holding. "...you're out of water and you need to bathe? It happens often at your area."

I nodded briskly, still embarassed. At that moment, I wish I still had my now-often mentioned unmentionables.

"It's in the hallway, second from the left."

Without another word, I ran past her and into the house.

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Mei was waiting for me when I opened the bathroom door, already wearing her uniform. "You can use my room. It's over there. Your pack is on the bed."

I went in the door she pointed out, and closed the brown door. This place was nice. It was obvious that Mei had a hefty pay. All the furniture I saw was undoubtedly expensive, ranging from the exquisitely carved coffee table to the large bed, which had dragons etched onto the gold-plated bedposts. The place smelled clean, almost fragrant, the hallways looked newly-swept, everything sparkled in an elegant sort of way. Especially this bedroom. The walls were wallpapered, a rarity, since it's a bit pricey. It was simply white with brown lines near the bottom. There was a Grizzly rug in the middle of the room, and I already mentioned the bed. Various stuffed plush toys lined the end of the aforementioned bed, and the gold-trimmed blankets added to the ambience. The glass-paneled cabinet to the right part of the room looked beautiful, Even the doorknob looked like it was worth a million zeny, being gold-plated and decorated.

Wait, I don't have time to dawdle! I hurriedly dried myself with the same towel I was wearing. Opening my backpack, I pulled out my uniform and underwear, and dressed up in a way that could be described as 'really freaking fast'. I swung open the door, still combing my hair. I walked to the living room which I passed by earlier.

Mei was sitting on a lush red sofa, reading a book. As soon as I came within five meters of her, she looked up from her reading just as I was tying the ribbons in my hair.

"You're done? That was quick. I'm not even halfway through Chapter Eleven..."

My friend stood up and grabbed the red bag lying on the sofa. With a wave, she beckoned me to get going.

She was out the door already without me noticing. I ran after her, arms flailing.

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I didn't like to be late. I wasn't. I got to my north post exactly on time. Smiling, I grabbed my brown clipboard and stood in that spot, the sun shining brightly. Nothing could go wrong.

At least, that's what I thought.

Six screw-ups. What a nice number. I'm pretty sure those guys they hire to watch Kafra performance are having a field day.

Situation number one came a hour after I started. A burly assassin came by and asked me to retreive his Double Critical Katar.

I gave him a Double Critical Cutter.

Fortunately, he was in a good mood, and overlooked it after I gave him the right weapon. That didn't make me any less embarassed, though. And who in the world would actually MAKE a Double Critical Cutter? Whoever it was, I think he was drunk, or taking illegal substances, when he did.

Number two came along a little later. I accidentally teleported a hunter to Lutie. How I had a gemstone set for Lutie in the first place, I'll never know. Maybe the world hated me. The guy managed to beat Stormy Knight with a little help from the people there, so it was still okay. I think. He came back thirty minutes later and told me all about it. No hard feelings, he said, and asked me to store his spoils of war.

Where was I? Three. I really had to go to the bathroom. Desperately. I left my post, running to the nearest Kafra toilet. (Which are everywhere. Just keep looking.) I left the storage cabinet open.

I remembered it while I was in the middle of doing my thing. I don't like to talk about what happened next. Let's just say that it would be very likely that I'd come back sooner if I didn't think about that cabinet.

It turned out that I didn't have to worry so much, because a guard had seen me run off and quickly came over to watch my post. I apologized to the older girl, who merely said that she was just doing her job.

I didn't know if she was honestly saying that, or if she was trying to tell me off.

We're at four, right? Okay. This is pretty weird. And awkward. Some guy was checking me out from a distance. He was staring at me from behind a post. I just stood there, shivering in fright, for a straight hour. I didn't try to look at the guy very well. Then, like a flash, he was gone. I just scratched my head wondering what it was all about. Not really a screw-up, but it did make me feel nervous enough to almost screw up more.

Five. The most annoying of all. It was already about three in the afternoon, and people were scrambling at the time. You see, that was the designated time for the castle sieges.

The cabinet simply stopped working.

Not only were a lot of people angry (at me), I had to run to headquarters to get it working again. I handed it to Mei, who just gave me a smile, and told me to wait a while. So I sat on one of the chairs, fiddling my thumbs. It turned out that the while became nearly two hours, and that there was one less kafra on her post during the castle sieges.

As Mei handed me my cabinet back, she encouraged me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It gets hard sometimes, I should know."

I stared at her with eyes open wide, feeling a sense of familiarity washing over me.

"It's written all over your face. You look like a mob of Grand Pecos hit you."

I just looked down.

Here comes number six.

I started to cry. It first came as silent tears running down my cheeks. Before I knew it, I was sobbing and whimpering quietly into Mei's bosom, trying to vent out my feelings. We just stood there, behind the desk, me holding onto her like a lone rock in the middle of the sea.

I stopped crying eventually. Everything's a blur after that. I vaguely remember Mei telling me to go over to her place later that night. I remember hugging her and thanking her.

My last clear vision was that of my little white pillow, my face buried in it.

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I rubbed my toes, regretting kicking that wall. I still felt like dirt. I needed someone to talk to.

Maybe I'll take Mei up on her offer. She's been really nice to me. I wished I could repay her for her kindness...

I got hit by the thunderbolt knows as enlightenment. Of course! I knew what to do now. I got my backpack from the corner, where I had thrown the thing, and opened it. 


	4. Act I, Chapter 4

Kafra Chronicles by TensaiMan

Act I - Awakening

Chapter 4 - Home

"She's not home..."

I stood in front of Mei's locked front door, holding a brown box in my left hand. Sighing heavily, I brought my package close to my face. Maybe with this, I can show my appreciation.

I sat down on her doorstep, intending to wait for her to come. She must have been delayed at work. I looked up at the half-moon, shining bright in the sky. The night had a calming effect on the modern city. The moonlight shone on the stone buildings, sometimes reflecting off them. Lights were on in many homes as people prepared their nightly rituals. Some children were still playing under the night sky.

I became lost in it all; the serenity, the calm. My life, my thoughts, were spent running after my dreams. I never really had the chance to sit down and stare at the stars.

Why did I keep chasing my dreams? Why did I keep living in the future, instead of today? Maybe that's why I'm such a klutz...I keep dreaming. A dream is...simply a dream.

I stood up, eyes still fixed on the beauty of the night.

"Because..." I whisper, a cold feeling washing through me as reality struck. "...dreaming...is all I can do."

I closed my eyes, feeling the breeze waft all around me, holding me in its embrace.

I don't know how long I stood there. It felt like years before I opened my eyes again. I expected Mei to be in front of me, with her usual smile.

She wasn't there.

I started to walk away from the door, dusting off my white dress, and made my way through the empty streets to the Kafra Corporation Headquarters. Having studied the routes of Alde Baran's back streets, I was at the grand building in fifteen minutes. I kinda got lost once or twice though. It's not my fault they made two places look exactly the same.

The door was locked when I tried to open it. I gently knocked a few times, to no avail.

"Maybe the employee entrance is..." I walked over to the right side of the building, making sure nobody saw me. Slowly, I went past the lone tree in the alley, and felt around for the handle, slightly scared. It was a dark alley, after all.

I felt the crack in the wall. Taking a deep breath to ready myself, I pulled. Hard. The stone slowly slid open, revealing a simple brown door. I don't know about you, but going through a door marked "Employees Only" makes me feel sort of important. And I'm still confused why the entrance was there in the first place. They should just have put an ordinary door. Well, I'm sure they have their reasons.

I entered the door leading into a dark hallway. There was light coming from somewhere ahead, and I followed it. I'm a little scared right now. The place has a creepy aura.

After a minute, I finally reached the end of the hall. A small room was at the end, illuminated by a lone lamp on the desk. The flickering light, the lone chair and table, and the darkness combined sent chills down my spine.

At one end of the room was another door. I inched towards it, my ears picking up the sound of my own teeth chattering. I took hold of the handle...

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" I screamed loudly as the door suddenly opened by itself.

"Amelia?"

"Uh...Mei?"

--------------------------------

"Thanks." Mei smiled brightly at me, holding the box in her hands.

"It's nothing at all..." I looked down and twiddled my thumbs in slight embarassment. "It's the least I can do."

We were in Mei's spacious living room, sitting on opposite sides of the sofa. It was warm inside her home compared to the chilly air just beyond the door, thanks to the fireplace.

I looked at Mei, who was opening the box, smiling again. Suddenly, something occured to me. Why didn't she have a boyfriend? Surely someone as beautiful as her had men running after her?

She seemed really happy when I gave her her present...maybe she's lonely. Maybe she has a dark secret that I don't know about. Maybe she's really male. Argh. I don't know now. I just hope she likes the present. She's used to fancy things, so I don't know if she'll like this...

Mei slowly held up the simple bead bracelet from the box. Feeling a bit embarassed, I pretended to study the patterns on the white rug. Suddenly, her eyes stinging with tears, she lunged at me, holding me in a tight embrace. My eyes widened in geniune surprise.

"Thank you..." she sobbed into my shoulder, quietly. "You have no idea how much this means to me..."

All I could do was hug her back.

The two of us sat there, embracing the other for what seemed like an eternity. At that moment, I knew, deep down, that we would be friends forever.

I smiled slightly. It must look awkward. Mei, who was taller than I was, was leaning on me, wearing only her bathrobe.

"This..." Words seemed to have failed her.

She pulled back from the embrace and slipped on the bracelet, now side-by-side with her gold one. Looking at the comparison, I felt almost ashamed. But then I looked at her heart-shaped face, and saw joy. Like she valued my humble little present over the obviously more expensive bracelet.

I don't know how I feel right now. It's like I could tell her all my secrets without worry. That I could tell her my dreams and she would share them. My parents were nice, but they never really got to know me that well. I felt like...like I'm no longer alone.

I never slept more soundly in my life, on a couch in a living room with my friend against me. Away from reality, just for a while.

No nightmare could have touched me. 


	5. Act I, Chapter 5

Kafra Chronicles by TensaiMan

Act I - Awakening

Chapter 5 - Descent

"I think I did well today..."

It was three weeks after I moved to Alde Baran, and I couldn't be happier. I missed my family, yes, but somehow, I didn't feel it. To be honest...as much as I love them, something always seemed to be missing...

"That's great!" Mei smiled back at me from her seated position before promptly turning back to the man she was talking to. She was the receptionist, after all. She can't neglect her work just for me.

Mei's been helping a lot. She introduced me to more of the staff, who seemed to hardly care about me. One even outright ignored me after we were introduced. Mei had apologized for the lady, whom she said was busy. I wasn't convinced. But I didn't tell her that.

I was at her house every day. I would go to the main office after my shift, seating myself at the other chair behind the desk, waiting for her to finish. We would go to her house and do what friends do. Talk for most of the evening. She always escorted me home, warning me to get there safe and sound. As for her going back to her home...Mei would just wink at me and give me a mysterious smile. Maybe she knows self-defense? She never told me if she did. That would be cool though. Maybe I can get her to teach me sometime.

I took another glance at my friend. She wore the standard Kafra uniform, but somehow stood out from among the other Kafras. Mei kept experimenting with her long black hair, sometimes tying it in a bouncy ponytail, a few times in twin braids, at times in a design so intricate that it seemed to have taken hours to make. Right now, she preferred it free-flowing.

I found myself holding one of my ponytails in my hand, looking at my own hair with a bit of dissatisfaction. That's when I noticed. Did my hair just get more color? I slowly separated one strand from the rest, running it between my fingers. It was now a darker shade of blue. I'm worried. Was there a condition where your hair gets darker?

"Hey, Amelia. Let's go."

I looked up and saw my friend, holding her usual black leather handbag.

"Sure." I stood up, following Mei as she slowly walked away.

------------------------------

I laughed as my friend finished her joke, the living room providing a good ambience for out nightly talks. We talked about everything; our work, family, friends, life.

Friends?

"Mei...I just noticed something..."

"Hm?"

I squirmed a bit, my eyes following an imaginary speck on the carpet floor. "You don't go out much...and people are cold towards you..."

I heard Mei sigh, and the rustle as she shifted her position on the couch. Silence reigned for a few minutes.

"Because..." she finally said, "...I'm not all that I seem."

By instinct, I was at her side, my hand on her shoulder. I had unconsciously acted on the catch in her voice.

"I may look like someone who's contented, someone who has everything..."

I saw her eyes water, ever so slightly.

"Everyone here knows...they know who I was. And because of that, they are all afraid of me. Amelia, I'll tell you, someday. You're my friend. But not right now. I promise."

"I understand..." I whisper in her ear, smiling. "Take your time."

"Thank you."

The rest of the coversation is blurry to me. Don't blame me. The events that happened after eclipsed them all.

"Oh...I left something at the building!" I blurted out in the middle of my storytelling, realizing my mistake. "I left my backpack there!"

"Really?" Mei grabbed her handbag from beside her, and pulled out a big brass key. "This unlocks the door to the right of the main entrance. Bring it back, okay? And stay on the main road this time. It's a bit late."

"Thanks." I smiled at her, taking the key. "I'll try to be quick!"

----------------------------

Once more, I was in front of the headquarters, which was now strangely foreboding. I shivered as a cold gust of air whipped past me, adding to my nervousness.

I quickly found the door, and opened it after a few tries. The lock seemed new, but I had a hard time turning the heavy key. They should replace the thing.

I stepped inside, the experience three weeks prior fresh in my mind. There wasn't anything here, I told myself. Nothing. It's just my mind playing tricks on me. I picked up a lighted lamp which stood on a table in the same room.

The room was directly adjacent to the main hallway, where the reception desk was. I slowly inched towards the desk, feeling a bead of sweat flowing down from my forehead. I could see the chair I sat in before, still in the same place. Within a minute, I was kneeling beside it, getting my bag from under the chair where I left it.

"I'm done here..."

I stood up, and returned to the right side of the hall, lamp in tow.

"Wha..." I blinked, then rubbed my eyes. Where was the passage to the other room? It wasn't there!

Okay, this is getting really creepy.

Maybe I should go through the secret entrance. If I can stop my teeth chattering.

I crept along the wall towards the other end of the hallway, to make sure that the passage I saw didn't vanish. Just in case. I felt the stone with one hand and held the lamp with the other.

Suddenly, I felt my hand sink into the wall, depressing a stone brick. I shreiked in surprise, jumping away from it, landing on my butt.

"Ouch..." I picked myself up from the floor, dusting off my apron. I was still holding the lamp. Hearing a sliding noise, I looked up. To my surprise, a new hallway had appeared in front of me.

I then proceeded to do what would become one of the most stupid things in the world.

I went in.

It was a long passage, walls made of the same grey stone. As I went in deeper though, the color changed. The walls slowly transformed from grey to black. The place seemed to go on forever. I already felt tired, and the ominous feeling that my body felt didn't help any. My lamp was starting to flicker, its fuel already low.

"C'mon..." I whispered. "Hold on just a bit longer..."

I eventually reached the end, the lamp still working. A big room greeted my eyes as the lamp's light struck the dark wall. Was everything here black? I held my backpack tighter. That's when I noticed it.

I walked, closer to the pedestal in the middle of the room. It was easy to miss in the dark. But I felt drawn to it. On the pedestal was a plain black ball. Nothing that would be very interesting.

I did another stupid thing.

I touched it with my left hand.

Immediately, the ball turned into a glowing blue beacon, its light piercing the darkness and illuminating the entire room. The ball itself begun to hover in the air. I stepped back. I was afraid. What had I done?

"Subject recognized."

I jumped when I heard the voice. Someone was here? I shook my head, trying to calm myself. If there were people here, it won't be so bad.

"ID Number 000008."

Where was that coming from? In front of me?

"Accessing records."

I realized that the voice was coming from the ball itself. I looked at the sphere with wonder as it just hovered there, uttering words I could barely hear.

"Last entry is Second Month, Twenty-First Day, Year 31 of the Reign of King Sachiel."

The world seemed to stop moving at that moment, as I processed this information. I realized, shocked, that the King Sachiel they were talking about is an old king of Rune-Midgard, when Payon and Geffen were still under Pronteran control.

That was around a thousand years ago.

Was this place that old?

"Subject Name is...Maliea Peirolle. Granting Access."

I didn't recognize the name. I didn't have time to. A circle of blue light appeared at my feet. I was being warped. The surroundings began to fade, and new scenery took its place.

What happened next is something I will never forget.

I was in the middle of a room. But that's not what shocked me to the core. No.

The room was full of clear glass tubes filled with clear liquid. Inside each...were sleeping babies.

I tried to scream. But I couldn't. My mouth did not work. My jaw was frozen due to utter shock. My mind started to shut down.

That was when I made another mistake.

I looked to my left.

Behind another tube was an empty one, with writing etched onto the glass. When my eyes met the marks, I felt my heart beat at an abnormal pace, my breathing became heavier. My knees hit the floor. The world seemed to fade to black.

What was written?

Amelia. Third Month, Eleventh Day. Year 9 of King Tristan III.

The day I was found by my father on the riverside.

End of Act I. 


	6. Act II, Chapter 1

Kafra Chronicles by TensaiMan

Act II - Memory

Chapter 1 - Reunion

"This won't work..."

I snapped my fingers together, trying to create a small fireball. No dice. That magic barrier really does its thing.

I sighed and dusted off my plain white sleeveless shirt, feeling utterly helpless. They really designed this place just for me. I looked down on my knee-length dark blue skirt. Anyone could tell from its wear that I had been in here for some time.

I am Anna Elie Valkion. Born with auburn hair and blue eyes, I am a child of Alde Baran. I do not know how old I am. Nobody told me what day I was born. All I know is that I've been living for a long time. People say I look like I'm in my twenties. And looks are deceiving.

Argh, that bastard. When he has no use for me, he places me here. Come to think of it, his erratic behavior started two years ago...

I felt a bead of sweat drip down from my brow as I finally realized why. That day is probably close. I had to get out of here and stop him.

I stood up and glared at the iron bars. I wasn't even sure if they were made of iron. Then again, I never tried melting them to find out. Damn barrier. The only thing that stood between me and escape. And a change of clothing.

I gave the bars a powerful kick. It had no effect whatsoever, other than doing more damage to my white leather shoes. I felt my mouth curve downwards as I tried to come up with a new way to escape. Let's just say the last hundred attempts didn't turn out too well. My sore right hand is testament to that.

I sat down again, cross-legged, and closed my eyes. There just had to be a way to get out of here. Every prison has a way to escape from it, right? The only option left, outside help, is out of the question. Only a few people knew about this place.

Suddenly, I heard loud footsteps. Someone was coming here. The thought of ambushing them crossed my mind, but the last time I tried, I found out that the magic barrier had a wide range. Discarding the idea, I simply waited for them to arrive. What could they want with me? Did that man need me again?

The cell door swung open as a man, whose face I could not see, gently threw in a girl, her landing face-up. Faster than I could react, he had closed the door and locked it. Looks like they only came here to lock up this girl.

Standing up, I went over to her, feeling a bit of pity. What had this one done to them? From the looks of it, she was a Kafra, she was knocked unconscious, and thankfully, looked unmolested. You can never trust those guys...

My eyes widened as I got a closer look at her face.

"Maliea..."

I shook my head. Maliea was dead already. This couldn't be her. Besides, this girl has light blue hair. Mailea had dark blue.

But...that face...

I heard her groan as she finally awoke, looking at me with her half-lidded amber eyes.

My soul practically screamed at me. Images appeared before my eyes. That man. Blood on my hands. The dark walls of the underground passages. The mirror as it stared back at me, a shadow of a once beautiful woman, now worn and battered. Blood. On the floor. All around me. The fading light.

The man's blood-stained face looking down on me.

And smiling.

"Uhhh..."

The girl's groan made me snap back to reality. Shaking my head, I focused my vision on her. Did this girl do something so evil that she was sent here, to the deepest part of Headquarters? Or was she sent here because...she resembled...

Maybe, this is it. Just maybe. But I have to be sure. It's not good to jump to conclusions.

She obviously sensed that there was someone with her, because she immediately turned to face me, her eyes half-lidded, and her mouth parted slightly.

I was so surprised that the reaction became physical.

I knew this girl!

I've been away from Prontera for so long that I had almost forgotten. How could I have?

This was the girl that I whisked away from the room, in a spontaneous act of rebellion, barely having the time to scratch the date on the broken tube with my dagger. The girl whom I left at the Pronteran riverside, with the letter I had made beforehand so she would be taken in by a caring family. The girl whom I watched over as soon as I was able to secure a post in the city.

The girl who knew me only as Miss Jane.

"Where am I..."

I shook my head again. Not now. I would think later. We have to get out now. If she is indeed that girl...and I was the one who had gotten her away...

Fate works in mysterious ways, indeed.

"In the Kafra Corp dungeon." I replied. "This place is pretty deep inside the building."

Amelia. That was her name, wasn't it? I think so. It was written on her tube back then. Anyway, she looked pretty bewildered. I would imagine so, after all, no one said that the company had a dungeon.

"Why am I...oh." Amelia quickly looked at the stone floor, her body now shaking. What did she do? This place isn't just for anybody. You'd have done something pretty...wait. Maybe she found...the room? That would be a reason. But how did she get there in the first place? The warp device has pretty tight security.

Unless...she was the one.

I barely suppressed a grin, willing my body not to tremble in excitement. Now I'm almost sure that it's her.

I must have been spaced out for a while, because I didn't notice her move beside me until she spoke.

"Why are you here?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of the soft voice.

"Well...lots of things." I tried to be casual. "Mostly messing with the system."

I felt the blue-haired girl go silent once more. Sighing, I took my cue.

"You saw the room, didn't you?"

I knew the answer was yes before she replied. The way she suddenly stiffened and the scared look in her eyes spoke much much louder than words.

I brushed a hand through my short hair, nodding in quiet agreement.

"And that's not the worst part. I found one with my name..."

"Oh."

A few minutes passed, both of us too absorbed in our thoughts to speak. What to do now? We had to escape before he realized who Amelia is. But our options were limited. I doubt this girl can break the bars, judging from her figure. As I thought of more possibilities, I completely missed Amelia analyzing my face.

"I think I know you. From long ago."

"Eh?" I turned to her, a part of me glad. So, she remembers me, too! I better throw her a hint. Grinning, I drew my head back so that my neck-length hair touched my shoulders, somewhat giving an illusion that I had longer hair.

Her eyes widened in realization.

"M...m..."

I smiled. "So you do remember m..."

Amelia's sudden hug-tackle interrupted my sentence. The girl barely gave me the time to make myself rigid so that I wouldn't get knocked onto the ground.

"It is you!"

I heard her laugh, then sob, on my chest. Sighing, I stroked her back softly as she let out her emotions.

I looked up to the dark ceiling.

"Fate, indeed..." 


	7. Act II, Chapter 2

Kafra Chronicles by TensaiMan

Act II - Memory

Chapter 2 - Recall

"You seem different..."

If my internal clock is working right, it had been three days since Amelia was sent in here.

"Well, I had to put on a different air as a Kafra. Company policies and all."

During this time, we've talked quite a bit, having no company besides each other. It made the stay here much less boring. And the normally bland food tasted much better if you have company while eating it.

"Oh."

We haven't seen anyone else; the food somehow appears right in front of you when it's time to eat.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still a nice person. And smiling all the time is something that comes naturally, but I hardly do that when I'm alone."

I already explained to her that the only way you would get out of this place was that if someone busted you out. Something as likely as me jumping up on a stage and singing rowdy bar songs.

For the record, I do bnot/b sing.

"I don't have all that much to be happy for."

I looked at the girl intently. I knew that the sight she saw was still bothering her. I guess I have to put her mind at ease about that. Standing up, I leaned against the wall and ran a hand through my hair.

"That room you saw..."

Immediately she looked up at me, amber eyes wide open.

I sighed. This isn't easy to explain. Crossing my arms, I continued.

"Ever wonder why there are so many Kafras even though hardly anyone applies?"

Amelia quickly put her hand to her mouth in shock. Smart girl. She got it already.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Some of them were created. Right here, in this building. It's the dark secret of the Kafra Corp, a secret that's been kept for more than a thousand years."

I braced myself for what I was going to say next. I prepared a neutral tone.

"You were born here."

I quickly looked down, the cold stone floor seemed to be a sight better than what I imagined the girl must be looking like right now. To be told that you didn't have any real parents, that you are not a natural human being, is sure to be a shock to everyone.

A few minutes passed. I forced myself to look at the girl. She hadn't moved an inch. She believed at what I said, I saw in her teary eyes. She trusted me so.

"A tube with my name...and the date I was found..." Her voice trailed off.

I'm going to have to tell her one of these days that it was me who took her away from here. But that will have to wait. Someday. I cleared my throat. If she is really the one, then I will have to tell her everything.

"They, well, you too, I guess, weren't originally made to just be Kafras. It's a long tale."

I closed my eyes. I heard her try to say something, but she stopped.

"Do you want to know?" I opened a blue eye to look at her.

Amelia simply nodded.

I gave a sigh and sat down on the floor. The weight of my long existence bore down on me. This story is my legacy. The reason I was still alive. The reason that the bastard still won't kill me.

Maybe telling someone, anyone, will make my burden a little lighter.

"It was a thousand years ago. It all started then. And I feel that the events that happened will finally try and come to a conclusion very soon."

I looked into her eyes.

"Too soon." 


End file.
